Endless power transmission belts made primarily of elastomeric materials and including toothed or so-called cog-type belts are in wide use throughout industry. A problem with all of such elastomeric endless belts is the provision of a belt which has sufficient transverse rigidity, i.e. transverse the endless path in which it operates, to prevent belt flopover or turnover, yet which enables the belt to be operated in sheaves or pulleys of minimum diameter.
Many belt constructions have been proposed heretofore for increasing the transverse rigidity of ordinary belts as well as toothed belts; however, these previously proposed constructions often result in a more expensive belt and one having a thickness greater than necessary. Each of these thicker belts is more difficult to operate in comparatively small diameter sheaves or pulleys and also results in the belt operating at elevated temperature which tends to promote delamination of the various belt sections and a reduced service life.